New York City has revealed a proposal to redesign the "vulnerable" shoreline of Lower Manhattan, in order to make it more resilient to rising sea levels caused by climate change.
Released by the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC), on 15 March 2019, the Lower Manhattan Climate Resilience (LMCR) outlines a series of longterm and temporary measures to bolster the city's urban coastal area.
The multi-billion dollar coastal resilience proposal would extend the Lower Manhattan shoreline into the East River.
Extended Lower Manhattan shoreline to act as flood barrier
Called the Financial District and Seaport Climate Resilience Master Plan, the new shoreline would act as a flood barrier during storms and protect the neighbourhoods against a projected rise in sea level. The plan is "the only feasible way to protect these vulnerable and vital parts of the city", said New York City's mayor Bill de Blasio in a statement released by NYCEDC.
The masterplan forms part of a wider scheme to adapt the Lower Manhattan, with other additions including the overhaul of FDR Expressway
"To close the gap and protect this area, the City will complete the Financial District and Seaport Climate Resilience Master Plan over the next two years to develop a comprehensive design for a shoreline extension in this area and to establish a public benefit corporation that will finance, construct, and manage it," the report said.
Lower Manhattan is a peninsula...